Virtual Robot Quickstart

Virtual Robot > Quickstart

The Virtual Robot Interface

Introduction

Virtual Robot provides a simple to use web based tool for content creation on EA robots like RoboThespian and Socibot.

This page is a jargon free quickstart guide to creating and transferring an animation to your robot, aimed at new users.

For best results use a 1440 x 900 or higher resolution screen. 1920 x 1080, or 1920 x 1200 preferred.

Logging in

All EA robots are shipped with a basic Virtual Robot account enabled you can access it at http://virtual.robothespian.co.uk, login required.

You may want to open Virtual Robot in another window while you read these pages.

If you don't know your Virtual Robot login details contact Engineered Arts Ltd

Please use Chrome or Chromium browser. If you really want to know why, you can read about it on this page - Remote_Connection

You will be greeted by this page:

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  Virtual Robot login screen

Type in your username and password and click "log in" to continue.

Read then dismiss the What's New window

The first time you login you will see the following screen:

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  Virtual Robot first time login

The What's new panel lists new features and shows up the first time you login and whenever there are any changes to Virtual Robot.

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  Virtual Robot first time login - what's new

Press CTRL + F5 on your keyboard to clear your browser's cache and reload the page. This ensures everything updates.

Click on the X in the top right corner (1) to dismiss the What's New window.

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  Virtual Robot first time login - what's new

Select your robot model

Virtual Robot supports all the Robots EA make, and can also work with third party robots. Please ask

Make sure to select your robot model before doing anything else:

1. Click on "robot"
2. Select your robot model from the list

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  Select Robot Model: 1 - click on Robot, 2 - select model

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  Select Robot Model (Close up): 1 - click on Robot, 2 - select model

Robot Models

1. Industrial Robot - an example Industrial Robot, used to demonstrate that 3rd party robots can be added to Virtual Robot on request.
2. RoboThespian 3 - RoboThespians running IOServe software, shipped before September 2015
3. RoboThespian 4 - Looks identical to RoboThespian 3, but runs newer Tritium software, shipped from September 2015 onwards.
4. RoboThespian 4, Gripping Hands - as RoboThespian 4, but with adaptive gripping hands
5. RoboThespian 4, Gripping Hands & InYaFace - as RoboThespian 4, but with adaptive gripping hands and projected face
6. RoboThespian 4, InYaFace - as RoboThespian 4, but with projected face
7. SociBot Desktop - compact SociBot with a truncated torso
8. SociBot Kiosk - integrated touchscreen, has (non-functional) arms to enhance its human-like appearance

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  1. Industrial Robot
  
  
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  2. & 3. RoboThespian 3 or 4
  
  
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  4. RoboThespian 4, Gripping Hands
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  5. RoboThespian 4, Gripping Hands & InyaFace
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  6. RoboThespian 4, InYaFace
  
  
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  7. Socibot Desktop
  
  
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  8. Socibot Kiosk
  
  

You can identify your Model from the Serial Number Plate or if you are still unsure please contact Engineered Arts

Example: SociBot Desktop

If you have a SociBot Desktop, select SociBot Desktop. Virtual Robot will load the SociBot Desktop model and specific controls:

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  Select SociBot Desktop

Example: Model RoboThespian 4

If you have a RoboThespian 4, click on RoboThespian 4 in the list. Virtual Robot will load the RoboThespian 4 model and specific controls:

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  Virtual Robot login screen

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  Model RoboThespian 4 loaded

Starting a new performance (animation)

Note that the terms animation, performance and sequence are used interchangeably. Sequence = animation = performance.

Next steps

Get a deeper understanding of the interface and the terminology used in the Virtual Robot Interface & Environment

Then explore the links at the bottom of that page to create more complex animations, animate multiple robots in sync and learn about Virtual Robot in more depth.